The Price Of Love Part 1
by Morgan
Summary: A retelling of Romeo and Juliet, Harry Potter style.Read the disclaimer before the story or it'll come as a bit of a shock to you.
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I know everyone knows this, but I'm gonna say it anyway. None of the characters belong to me, and the basic storyline, though I have changed it a little bit, is William Shakespeare's. Oh, and by the way, I KNOW that Hermione Granger is a Gryffindor, I know she's not related to Malfoy, and she sure as hell is not Snape's goddaughter. I just HAD to say that she was to make the story work. And, as always, no flames please!

It was a warm Saturday afternoon. Harry Potter, a 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was spending it very much like he spent his other Saturdays, (and Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, you get the idea.) He had locked himself in his room and was pining away for a pretty girl named Rosaline. This was all nice and fine, except for one small problem. He was a Gryffindor and she was a Slytherin. The two houses had been feuding since a small quarrel between Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. As a result, the stupidest Gryffindor could hardly look at the stupidest Slytherin without sparks flying from wands. By now, nobody knew what the original quarrel was about, and everyone was tired of the silly feud, but the two houses stubbornly refused to bury the hatchet and just forget about the whole thing.

So naturally, all of the Gryffindors were disgusted by Harry's infatuation with Rosaline.

"I don't see how you can _possibly_ like someone like her," his best friend Ron Weasley would often grumble.

The truth was, Harry didn't know either. Rosaline was rather a spoiled brat. But she still managed to make Harry's breath catch in his throat whenever he saw her. Of course, he never got to see her much because they had different schedules, but he jumped at every chance he got.

So when he learned that the Slytherins were going to throw a huge party in honor of the head of their house, Severus Snape, though God only knew why, Harry made up his mind that he would be there, even if he had to disguise himself as his nemesis Draco Malfoy. He was so determined, he even persuaded Ron to come with him.

"You really owe me big," said Ron, "Remember, it's just in and then right back out again. We're not staying, even if Rosaline starts flirting madly with you. Not even if Snape gets a sugar high and starts breakdancing. Got it?"

"Yes, I know, I know," replied Harry, "But what if--"

"NO!" said Ron firmly.

Harry sighed. "All right," he said finally, "But at least let me stay until I see Rosaline. I'm not going to some Slytherin party and end up not seeing her at all."

Luckily, the party was to be a costume party, so Harry and Ron could wear masks and not have to bother with a complicated Polyjuice Potion. They made sure that their masks would cover their hair also, since Harry's untidy 'do and Ron's fiery red hair would be recognized anywhere. They decided to go as Knights of the Round Table, with tons of chain mail and helmets to match.

When it came time for the party, Harry and Ron quickly and quietly snuck over to the Slytherin end of the castle, with the help of Harry's invisibility cloak. People were streaming into the Slytherin common room. All the houses except Gryffindor had been invited, even the Hufflepuffs. They waited in the hall until a large group Hufflepuffs came and let them in unknowingly. Once inside, they removed the cloak and started wandering around. Ron refused to leave Harry's side, worried that he'd do something foolish. But he soon got distracted by the display of refreshments which made Honeydukes in all it's glory seem like a dusty, half-empty, mice infested pantry.

As soon as Ron was out of the way, Harry started looking all around for Rosaline, when suddenly, out of nowhere, he saw a beautiful girl. So beautiful in fact, that all thoughts of Rosaline flew out of his head forever and he never heard from her again. 

This new girl with rich, shiny, chestnut colored hair was struggling to put her mask on. She wasn't struggling because she was stupid, Harry could see. You could tell she was very intelligent by her facial expressions and the way she carried herself. It was just that the mask had several tangled lacings which had to be wound around the head and tied just right.

Slyly, Harry crept up behind her and took the mask from her hands. The girl whirled around, surprised, and faced him, ready to whip out her wand if he was going to make any trouble.

But Harry only carefully untangled the mask laces and handed it back to her.

The girl stared at him for a few moments, then shyly took the mask from him.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"No problem," said Harry, grinning, ecstatic at hearing her voice.

He saw right away that the girl was quite shy, but he soon charmed her into opening up and having a conversation with him. Harry thought he was in heaven, and it became evident that the girl felt the same way.

Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy, who was standing nearby, overheard their conversation and immediately recognized Harry's voice. Teeth clenching in anger, Draco made a move for his wand when Snape stopped him, anxious for his party to go well.

"I don't like him any better then you do, but wait until after the party to teach him a lesson, will you? I don't want this party to be ruined like last time, when your little friends Crabbe and Goyle ate up all the refreshments before the other guests got a taste!"

Draco obliged, although still fuming. He walked away, planning vengeance with every step.

Soon, Ron came staggering up to Harry and the girl. It was obvious that he'd drunk one to many butterbeers, because he urgently whispered to Harry, "Let's go! I gotta pee!"

The girl overheard what he said and started giggling. Ron, turning bright red, grabbed Harry's elbow and dragged him out of the Slytherin common room.

"I'll see you later!" yelled Harry, waving.

The girl waved back but didn't say anything.

As soon as Ron and Harry were safely back in their dormitories and the invisibility cloak tucked away, along with their masks, Ron started bombarding Harry with questions.

"Where was Rosaline? Why weren't you with her? Did she finally knock some sense into your head? Oh, and by the way, what the hell were you doing with Hermione Granger?"

"So?" asked Harry, glad that he finally knew her name.

"So!?" sputtered Ron, getting redder, "Don't you know who she is?"

"Sure I do," said Harry, grinning, "She's the girl I love."

Ron just couldn't take it anymore. "SHE IS A SLYTHERIN! MOREOVER, SHE'S SNAPE'S GODDAUGHTER AND DRACO MALFOY'S COUSIN!" he bellowed.

Harry blinked. He thought for sure Ron was joking.

"What?" he asked.

"You heard me," said Ron, pausing for a breath, " She's one of _them_."

The truth finally hit Harry, and it hit him hard. He groaned loudly and collapsed on his bed. 

After Harry started mumbling a jumble of incoherent words, Ron suddenly remembered all the butterbeers he'd drunk and dashed off toward the bathroom, barely making it in time.

After Harry had left, Hermione sought out her cousin Draco and started making small talk with him. After chatting for a few minutes, she finally gathered up enough courage and asked him, "Who was that boy? The one dressed as a knight who came with his tall friend"

Draco's face darkened with anger as he answered, "Just a creep named Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter?" Hermione gasped, "But isn't he a--"

"Stinkin', good-for-nothing Gryffindor," Draco finished for her, "And he's the worst of the bunch.All the other Gryffindors worship the lint in his bellybutton. Stay away from him, Hermione. He could be dangerous."

Hermione smiled weakly and Draco walked away. As soon as he left, she stumbled up to the girl's dormitories. She removed her tight costume, put on her robes, and sank white-faced into her bed, finally losing it and sobbing incontrollably. 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Harry couldn't get to sleep that night. He just kept tossing and turning. Try as he might, he just couldn't get Hermione's face out of his mind. Finally, he sighed and decided to go out to the Astronomy Tower and gaze at the stars. It had always soothed him.He removed the invisibility cloak from his trunk outside.

He had just settled comfortably into his favorite corner when he heard somebody else climbing up the ladder. He reached instinctively for his wand when he saw a dark cloaked figure climb up. He was just about to perform a body-binding curse when the figure removed her hood and shook her hair out. Even in the dark, Harry knew immediately who she was. He stopped his wand in mid-air.

Hermione sighed. "What a beautiful night," she said to nobody in particular. Harry nearly melted at the sound of her voice. He wanted to take off his cloak, but he decided he might frighten her off. So he continued listening.

Hermione removed the heavy cloak and spread it out on the corner opposite of Harry. He saw that Hermione had brought an extremely ugly tabby cat with her. 

The cat hissed at where Harry was sitting. He froze, trying not to make a sound. The cat was about to pounce when Hermione gathered him up and started stroking him. 

"It's alright, Crookshanks," she cooed, "There's nobody there."

Harry wished that he was in Crookshanks position, who was purring contentedly in Hermione's lap.

Suddenly, Hermione cried out, " Oh, it's just not fair! It just _had _to be Gryffindor!"

Harry held his breath so he wouldn't give himself away. Hermione continued moaning to her cat.

"It's just my luck that the first guy I love is a Gryffindor! All the otherSlytherins would be furious if they found out! Oh, Harry, why couldn't you have been in some other house? Any other house rather than damned Gryffindor!"

This made Harry just a little mad and he was just about to retort when Hermione went on.

"But the funny thing is, I don't care. I mean, it's not like I love him any less than I would if he were in Ravenclaw or something. But he'll probably be disgusted with me after he finds out I'm a Slytherin," she said miserably.

"That's not true!" Harry burst out.

Hermione gave a little shriek and started looking around wildly, nearly stepping on poor Crookshanks and falling off the tower. Harry caught her by the arm and suddenly remembered that he still had his cloak on. He took it off immediately.

"Oops," he said sheepishly, "I'm sorry I frightened you."

Hermione, who was still in a state of shock, whirled around to face him and snapped angrily, "I suppose it's a favorite hobby of yours to spy on poor girls and then scare them half to death!"

"No," said Harry, "Just you."

This made Hermione even angrier and was about to shout at him again when she realized that he sounded familiar.

"Wait," she said slowly, "Aren't you the guy I was talking to earlier? Harry-"

"Potter," finished Harry. "And you're Hermione."

"Guilty," she said. They stood and stared at each other for a while until they both started laughing.

"We…mustn't…laugh…so…loud," gasped Hermione in mid-giggle. "Someone could hear us."

"You forgot about this," reminded Harry, pointing to his cloak.

Hermione examined it in great interest.

"Is that a _real_ invisibility cloak?" she asked, feeling the smooth cloth between her fingers.

"Yes, it was my dad's," said Harry shortly. Hermione wisely decided not to pursue on the subject.

"Well, this is one thing we have in common," she said, changing the subject. "We both like to look at the stars."

"Yeah," agreed Harry, "I always come out here on clear nights to try and look for Cassiopeia, Hercules, and so on."

"Not me," said Hermione, " I look at the stars to try and predict the future. My grandmother can do it. I'm not sure exactly how to do it, but it has something to do with the alignment of the stars. My grandma saw a snake in the sky the night before I boarded the Hogwarts Express seven years ago, and she predicted that I would be in Slytherin. She was right."

"Yes, she was," said Harry, a bit bitterly. 

They continued to make small talk until Hermione burst out,

"Harry, are you going to ask me out or not?"

Startled, Harry admitted sheepishly that he had been trying to find a way to ask her without sounding too eager.

"Oh," said Hermione. "Well I accept." And she kissed him.

"Wow," whispered Harry.

They were sitting there, grinning broadly at each other like hyenas, when Hermione's lovely face suddenly creased with worry.

"Oh, Harry," she said, "What will we do about the others?"

"The others?" said Harry, confused.

"I mean the people in Gryffindor and Slytherin. I know Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff won't give a damn whether we're going out or not, but the others will force us to break up and maybe have a wizard's duel if they find out!"

"_Well_… they won't find out," said Harry decidedly, "We'll have to keep it a secret just between us."

"Yes, you're right," said Hermione. "I'll--"

But Harry never found out what she was about to say. Just then, he spied Filch and Mrs. Norris coming out of the castle doors. Hastily, he covered Hermione and himself with the invisibility cloak and together they crept down and away to the safety of their own dorm rooms, Hermione to hers and Harry to his. Just before they parted at the entrance of the Slytherin common room, Harry whispered to Hermione, "Meet me tomorrow night at the Astronomy Tower."


End file.
